CITY OF SHORELINE

SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL

SUMMARY MINUTES OF DINNER MEETING

Monday, June 9, 2003

Shoreline Conference Center

6:00 p.m. Highlander Room

PRESENT: Mayor Jepsen, Deputy Mayor Grossman, Councilmembers Chang, Gustafson, Hansen, and Ransom

ABSENT: Councilmember Montgomery

STAFF: Steve Burkett, City Manager; Bob Olander, Deputy City Manager; Julie Modrzejewski, Assistant City Manager; Marci Wright, Director of Human Resources

GUEST: Mark Adreon, Department of Services for the Blind (and Sharon, his reader and driver)

Mayor Jepsen convened the meeting at 6:35 p.m.

City Manager Steve Burkett introduced Mark Adreon, who is with the Department of Services for the Blind. In the afternoon, Mr. Adreon had provided the Leadership Team and key staff with training about legal blindness (20/200 to total blindness) and vision impairment and had facilitated a discussion with Councilmember Chang to identify issues and/or barriers to his full participation in Council activities. Councilmember Ransom also attended the training. Staff learned that sending documents electronically may be a more effective way for Councilmember Chang to review Council materials.

Councilmember Ransom pointed out that Councilmember Chang’s vision is 20/800 and he has no center vision, so he cannot recognize faces. It is therefore proper etiquette to identify yourself to him.

Mr. Adreon added that because of his vision Councilmember Chang might be perceived by others as not focusing or paying attention. Councilmember Chang explained that sometimes he closes his eyes because it is difficult to focus. Everything comes to him through hearing.

Mr. Burkett said that the insight that he thinks everyone got from the discussion is to ask Councilmember Chang what help he needs.

Mr. Adreon explained that Councilmembers probably do not need to announce their names, since Councilmember Chang knows everyone. However, he will not be aware of a person’s presence until that person speaks to him. Mr. Adreon continued that Councilmember Chang needs visual cues verbalized so that he understands what is going on around him. He suggested that Councilmembers provide Councilmember Chang with information, such as the number of people in the room.

Mr. Adreon explained that Mr. Chang currently uses the CCTV to blow up the written information he receives. This is helpful with graphs and maps. It is also important for him to receive information in advance of the meeting. The references made at Council meetings should be to specific information, rather than page numbers or lines. Councilmember Chang commented that describing information in this way is helpful to the audience as well as himself.

Deputy Mayor Grossman said that it is a good point that people watching the meeting on television do not have the additional information and he often forgets this.

There was discussion of setting up a monitor or screen for Councilmember Chang to access information at the Council meetings, but Mr. Adreon said that such devices would be cumbersome to set up and what would work for Mr. Chang is voicing technology. Anything in the packets that is sent to Mr. Chang should be sent to him electronically ahead of time. He can still use the CCTV for hard copies.

Mayor Jepsen noted that during public comment citizens often bring handouts with them to give to Council. Mr. Adreon responded that rather than having a machine available at the meeting to assist in reading material, it would be helpful if people summarized their handout.

Mayor Jepsen referred to issues with a substantial record to review, when it is the practice to leave one copy in the Council Office for individual Councilmembers to review on their own time. Mr. Adreon said that Councilmember Chang could scan documents and/or have someone read them to him. There was a brief discussion of the amount of material for review for the Aegis decision. Mr. Adreon concluded that Councilmember Chang is responsible for asking for what he needs to feel he is fully informed and able to participate as a Councilmember at the same level as all other Councilmembers.

Mr. Burkett said that Marci Wright, Human Resources Director, would follow up with Councilmember Chang and Mr. Adreon about new software and training.

Mayor Jepsen declared the meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.

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Julie Modzrejewski, Assistant City Manager